13 Fun, Festive Christmas Cookie Decorating Ideas

Soft Christmas Cookies in gingerbread man, candy cane, and tree shapes on a white plate — Photo: MDarling

With the right tools, you can bake and decorate Christmas cookies that would stop Santa in his tracks. Here's how our talented home cooks have used pretzels, sprinkles, sugar pearls, and frosting to churn out these 13 creative confections.

01 of 13

Reindeer Games

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"These reindeer cookies are really adorable! Children enjoy making and eating them. Add a red M&M and make the Rudolph." — JMEVNO

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Warm Wishes

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marshmallow snowman cookies melting — The Gruntled Gourmand

Don't worry if the faces of these Melted Snowman Cookies turn out a little messy. They're melting, after all!

03 of 13

Let It Snow

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round sugar cookies with winter scenes: a night sky with snow falling and pine trees covered in snow — Brielle Brauner

Allrecipes user Brielle Brauner gave basic cookies the look of a snowglobe with just white, black, and blue frosting.

04 of 13

Layer Up

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The layered look works for cookies, like these stacked snowflakes.

05 of 13

Home for the Holidays

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Classic Gingerbread Cutouts | Photo by Celia.

"This made a beautiful gingerbread house! I used the template on this website and did the recipe exactly as it says to here. It made a gingerbread house and quite a few large gingerbread people." — wilco

06 of 13

Star Struck

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Coating just half of these star-shaped shortbread cookies with frosting gives them an (unexpectedly) elegant look.

07 of 13

A Merry Little Christmas

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The little details are what make a cookie extra special, like the sprinkle-sized gingerbread men on this tree. What would you place inside this edible snow globe?

08 of 13

Oh Deer

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Gingerbread Men | Photo by footballgrl16.

Turn a gingerbread man upside down to transform him into a reindeer with a little help from some frosting and candy. We love the tangled Christmas lights in this reindeer's antlers.

09 of 13

Frosted the Snowman

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The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies | Photo by augustmoon.

You'd be amazed how much fun you can have with circle cookie cutters.

10 of 13

Happy Howlidays

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If you're recreating your family as cookies, don't leave out the dog!

11 of 13

Bundle Up

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As we've long known, it's the accessories that make the outfit. From a hat and scarf on a snowman to mittens adorned with sprinkles, cold-weather gear gives Christmas cookies an even cozier appeal.

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Special Snowflakes

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snowflake-shaped cookies decorated with pale blue and white icing — The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies by Dianne. Dianne

With sugar pearls and a touch of white sprinkles, these snowflake-shaped cookies look extra enchanting.

13 of 13

Don't Sweat It

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sugar cookies shaped like Christmas sweaters, snowmen, candy canes, and snowflakes — Stephanie Maloney

We're smitten with all of home cook Stephanie Maloney's sugar cookies, especially the sweaters! If you've ever DIY-ed your own tacky Christmas sweater, why not get just as crafty in the kitchen?